Process of producing gas.



P. G. SCHMIDT. v PROCESS OF PRODUCING GAS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29.1913.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

Inventor Attd rn eys barren sra rae rarnivr WEFIUOE.

PETER G. SCHMIDT, OF OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING GAS".

Application filed March 29, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER G. SCHMIDT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Olympia, in the county of Thurston and State of Washington,have invented a new and useful Process of Producing Gas, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in a process of producinggas, in a gas producer, one object of the present invention being theprovision of a means, whereby the zone of incandescence is maintained ata point considerably above the inlet end of a centrally disposed gascollector, this zone being maintained by the introduction of currents ofair below the top surface of the fuel for the purpose of causingcombustion and the incandescent zone toextend around and above the.inlet end of the gas collector, thereby causing volatile distillatesfrom the fuel in the upper magazine zone of the fuel bed to pass throughsaid in,- candescent zone and become fixed gases.

By providing a means for introducing air above the inlet end of thecollector and below the upper surface of fuel in the producer, I findthat the zone of incandescence can be easily controlled and maintainedto a point approximately upon a line with the introduction of the air,the air radiating downwardly and centrally through the fuel body towardthe inlet end of the collector thereby causing combustion and fixationof the volatiles of the fuel and delivering a verv clean gas.

IVith the relation existing between the inlet of the collector, thegrate and the upper air inlets, in practical operation, I have proventhat wall channeling, consequent wall clinkering and destruction ofproducer lining, is practically eliminated, because the action of thecombustion is all toward the centrally disposed inlet of the gascollector. Introducing the up er air into the body of the fuel below theupper surface thereof, also avoids the possible collection of anexplosive mixture in the top of the producer. Another of the advantagesof introducing the upper air into the body of and below the surface ofthe fuel instead of above the surface of the fuel is to prevent the airfrom channeling along the collector. wall that would thus ensue.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combi- Specificattionof Le'tters'Patent.

Patented Uec. 14, I915.

semino. 757,672.

nation and arrangement of parts and in the details of constructionhereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes inthe precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be madewithin the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

In the drawings-I igure l is a vertical central sectional view of oneform of gas producer constructed to carry out the present process. Fig.2 is a section taken on line 2-2 thereof. Fig. 3 is a view similar toFig. 1 of another form of gas producer employing the same process. Fig.1 is a section taken on line 4 l of Fig; 3.

In carrying out the present process, it is desirable a centrallydisposed gas collector 1 be provided, the same being properly supportedfrom the top or charging floor 2 of a circular producer as shown inFigs. 1 and 2, or a rectangular producer as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Bythis means, the gas collector is projected into the fuel body, the inletend of the same being within the incandescent zone, the main air supplybeing fed to the ash pit 3 by means of the conduit 4 so that the samewill pass through the ash zone above the grate 5, as shown in Fig. 1 andalso through the grate baskets 6, as shown in both Figs. 1 and 3. 111the form shown in Figs. 3 and I, a centrally disposed air supply 7 witha hood 8 is projected into the ash zone, so that in both forms, the maincombustion will follow the direction of the arrows and the generated gasenter the lower inlet end of the gas collector 1. The gas collector inFig. l is made cylindrical in form, while that shown in Fig. 3 isrectangular, both forms being water jacketed.

In both'forms, the auxiliary supply of air is provided for, the same, inFigs. 1 and 2, being delivered from the valved conduit 9 into theannular header 10 having the depending pipes 11 led into the radialpipes 12. Each of the pipes 12 are provided with the covered poke hole13 while the inner end leads to a flared nozzle 1%, all of these nozzlesbeing disposed in an annular recess 15 formed in the refractory wall 16of the producer. By this means, the auxiliary air introduced at thispoint of the producer, that is below the upper surface of the fuel bodyand in a plane above the inlet end of the gas collector 1 and frompoints therearound, will maintain the incandescent zone at a point abovethe lower or inlet end of the "as collector, the auxiliarv combustionfollowingthei lines of the arrowsas clearly shown in Fig. 1.

In the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the auxiliary air is supplied fromthe valved conduit 17 into the distributer 18 carried by the chargingfloor there being led from such chamber, the depending conduits or pipes19, whose lower ends project to a point below the surface of the fuelwithin the producer, terminating in a plane above the lower inlet end ofthe gas collector l and surrounding the same so that the air ledtherefrom will follow the direction of the arrows as shown in Fig. 3,and thus maintain the incandescent zone at a point above the inlet endof the gas collector. In this form of gas producer, the header 18 isrectangular in outline as is also the water cooled spacing ring 20,which is connected to the lower ends of the air conducting pipes 19,this ring 20 forming a void in the fuel as indicated in Fig. 3, while atthe points of introduction in both forms of apparatus, the nozzles 11and pipes 19 constitute twyers or auxiliary air introducing means.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the present process may beapplied both to a Copies of this patent may be obtained for ingessential that the gas collector be disposed in the center, with theauxiliary air introducing means nearer the wall in a plane above thelower inlet end of the gas collector, and below the upper fuel surface.

The air entering the auxiliary air introducing means may be humidifiedas desired.

What I claim as new is:

A process of producing gas, consisting in admitting air upwardly into a.confined fuel charge from below the bottom thereof and throughout thearea of the fuel charge, admitting air downwardly into the fuel chargein a horizontal plane below the top of the fuel charge and at all pointsaround the sides of the charge, and Withdrawing the gas upwardlycentrally of the fuel charge between the lower and upper points of airadmission.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PETER G. SCHMIDT.

Witnesses:

SELINA IVrLLsoN, I. E. SIMPSON.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D. C.

